Valentine’s Day Synopsis: Intertwining couples and singles in Los Angeles break-up and make-up based on the pressures and expectations of Valentine’s Day.
The first of Garry Marshall’s holiday-themed ensemble films, Valentine’s Day, takes place on, you guessed it, Valentine’s Day! Boasting a cast of several A-listers, including Rom-Com Queen Julia Roberts, the movie took on the popular Love Actually by placing many good-looking people in stories that would eventually be revealed to be connected in one way or another.
I will admit that I was not too fond of New Year’s Eve. I usually adore Garry Marshall, but that film just missed the mark in every conceivable way. When I began to watch Valentine’s Day, my husband reminded me that we had already watched this in the theater when it was released. Given I barely remember what happened two days ago, I had very little memory of this movie until I started watching it again. I’m not sure what I thought about it back then, but I will admit that I found it charming this go around.
It’s not a perfect movie or even a great one. These large ensemble movies rarely are. Some of the stories don’t work or make much sense Jamie Foxx and Jessica Biel had zero chemistry, and the film’s only LGBTQ representation received about a minute of screen time. But I enjoyed some of the other stories quite a bit, including Ashton Kutcher getting dumped by his girlfriend while his best friend, played by Jennifer Garner, is wooed by a married doctor.
There was also a cute storyline with Bradley Cooper and Julia Roberts, an army captain returning home just for one night to visit the special man in her life. That particular reunion was brief but so heartfelt that, yes, I got a bit choked up.
Where New Year’s Eve felt overwhelming and overstuffed, Valentine’s Day balanced its cast and stories quite well. There is enough humor to keep it from feeling too gooey, but this is a rom-com based around Valentine’s Day, so I would think anyone watching this would expect sugary fluff. Garry Marshall definitely delivers on that promise and then some.
Honestly, there’s not much to analyze here, no deeper meaning to be found. Valentine’s Day is a sweet box of chocolates and a bouquet of roses, nothing more, nothing less. Turn off your mind and enjoy its sweet coziness. There’s also the added bonus of searching for and finding the Garry Marshall easter eggs in this movie. It gives the film an extra touch of rom-com magic that I really adored. Plus, you get to watch Julia repeat one of her most iconic movie lines during the credits.
Watched: 02/14/2021
Notable Song: Today Was a Fairytale by Taylor Swift
Katy
February 19, 2021Nice review! I remember seeing this at a sold-out show, and the thing I remember the most is the huge reaction Taylor got when she popped up. Otherwise, I agree, it’s a cute movie – just something to fun to watch. Really liked the Bradley and Julia storyline too.
Sara
February 19, 2021Thank you! My husband insisted we saw this in the theater but I honestly don’t remember much. Taylor is a cutie and though she’s not the best actress, she did get some laughs in this. I also really liked Bradley and Julia. It went a way I didn’t expect and I really appreciated that.